Obito-Sensei Chapter 54

First Dates and Final Days

Was it pathetic to be twenty-nine years old and terrified of a date? That was what Obito was wondering on the morning of the thirteenth. He had returned to the Hidden Leaf from the Land of Waves the night before; he'd spent four days there with the medical team, and by the end of that period, a full week and day after the attack, Fukami City had finally been moving towards a return to normalcy.

It wouldn't be the same, Obito knew. The impact on the city's trade and industry from the destruction of its Great Channel Bridge hadn't yet been fully calculated, but would doubtlessly be devastating. Nevertheless, there had been an angry stubbornness ringing throughout the city when he'd left; they'd built the Bridge when times had been even worse and more hopeless, and now they knew they could do it. Tazuna Fukami had sworn in public that they would have the Bridge replaced by the end of the year: Obito didn't know if that was possible, but he admired the attitude that let a country pick itself back up and move forward after such a brutal blow.

But now he was back home, Waves was behind him, and Obito found himself in utter dread of the coming evening.

'What the hell were we doing these last couple months then?'

Practice. Practice. Obito had said it as a joke, but it was really all he could hold onto as he sat in his apartment, staring at the ceiling and wondering just how stupid he was. His relationship with Rin was probably the strongest it had ever been right now; had he ruined it by formalizing something that she'd already taken for granted? Did she think he was a weirdo now? No, she'd know he was a weirdo now.

But, practice, practice. He knew how to spend time with Rin, how to have fun together. Tonight wasn't going to be any different from that except for his own stupid preconceptions about a date versus a date. Maybe he should go observe some couples-

"See?" he said out loud to himself. "Now you're acting like a freak. Calm down. Stop thinking about it."

They'd agreed to meet at Rin's home in the evening and then head to a sushi place. Obito didn't love sushi, but he did like the idea of having something that was clean and easy to eat for their first official date; he had enough to worry about without flipping out and spilling soup down his front or something equally stupid. He had a whole day to himself before that.

What to do with it?

Obito stared blankly. He could train, but that didn't seem appealing right now. He needed to get this nervous energy out though. He stood up and began pacing, and his eyes fell on the VCR player.

He could watch a movie? The notion was so strange: he'd never been one for fiction, either books or movies. He'd never even used the player since getting it, what, almost two years ago now? No, longer than that, cause it had been for his twenty-seventh birthday. He didn't even own any movies except the two he'd received with it, and they were both historical dramas. Maybe that was to his sensei's taste, but it definitely wasn't what Obito was in the mood for.

It seemed the VCR player would languish until another day. Obito kept pacing. Gai was out of the village on a mission; he didn't want to drop in on Kushina or Mikoto, and Asuma and Kurenai still weren't talking to him. His narrow life that he'd been giving thanks to a week ago now seemed restrictive instead.

He could do something more serious, Obito thought. He had the time, and Waves had lit a fire in him. Maybe it was time to abuse some of his privileges.

He got dressed in a more serious outfit for a shinobi, including his flak jacket, and made his way outside. There was a cool spring wind rustling through the village, and Obito enjoyed it as he meandered downtown, headed towards the Hokage Tower. All of Konoha was taking down their winter decorations, changing over to lighter clothes, and enjoying the fully bloomed trees and flowers across town. It brought everything a sense of light, positive change.

When Obito reached the Tower and let himself in, he made it about halfway up before someone intercepted him: an ANBU member with a hawk mask.

"Obito," he said, and Obito nodded. He knew this man even under the mask. Genma Shiranui, a member of Minato's bodyguards who was always by his side. The idea that the Yondaime would ever need bodyguards was perhaps a little comical, but that was always the case when it came to protecting someone who in turn was expected to carry the village on their back in a crisis. "The Lord Hokage is in a meeting at the moment, if you're planning to see him."

"Do you think he'd mind if I dropped in on it?" Obito said, trying to sound both wry and sincere, and Genma tilted his head.

"You just returned from the Land of Waves, didn't you?" he asked, and Obito nodded. "I thought so. I'd heard something about the mission down there. Nasty stuff." He mulled it over for a moment. "I'll let you pass," he said with a bit of a sardonic tone, fully aware that Obito could just walk through him if he wanted to. "They're discussing the Hidden Sand. Your input may be appreciated."

"Oh? That's perfect, thanks," Obito said with another nod, and Genma turned around to escort him up. When they reached the top of the winding stairs, he took up a position by the double doors leading into the Hokage's office and gestured for the ANBU already standing there to sweep the building again. The man wearing a boar mask nodded and went off, and Obito gave him a wave as he descended the stairs before pushing past the double doors.

"Which is… ah." There were five people in the room already: Minato, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Shikaku Nara, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado. That was about what Obito had expected: since the day he'd become Hokage, Minato had always respected the council of the Sandaime and his teammates, and as the chief Jonin Commander Shikaku needed to be present in just about any important decision process. Homura had been speaking when Obito entered, and he glanced back with a quizzical look. "Jonin Obito. Is something wrong?"

"Nothing at all," Obito said, stepping all the way into the room. "I was wondering if I could sit in on this one."

Everyone in the room glanced at each other and then at Minato, who shrugged. "Sure," he said. Obito grinned. "We don't have a chair for you though."

"I can stand," Obito said, coming alongside everyone else lined up in front of the desk and standing at attention. "Sorry for the interruption."

"It's nothing. As I was saying, that is why we cannot necessarily demand concessions in regards to Sand's Jinchuriki," Homura continued. "It is their only Tailed Beast: there's no way they could be convinced to give it up, or even to replace Gaara of the Desert." He shifted, his face stuck in a perpetual frown. "Whether he has put it to good use or not, he obviously has quite advanced control of the Beast; that sort of power would take years or decades for Sand to regain with a new host."

"Control of the Beast, but no control of himself," the Sandaime said bitterly. "The worst possible combination." He leaned back, taking a puff of his pipe. "We have been going in circles. Sand's actions cannot go unpunished: this is self evident to us all. But with the culprit himself unable to be touched, we are left with a severe reaction or none at all."

Obito tilted his head, and Minato glanced at him. "Gaara's sensei died in his rampage," he said, and Obito made an understanding noise. That was even more horrible than he'd supposed, but what was one man compared to all the dead he'd seen in Waves? "But even after that, it doesn't seem like the Hidden Sand is punishing him in any concrete way."

"Rasa made noise," Shikaku said dismissively, "but he obviously doesn't know how to discipline his children, only wrangle them. At best, this sort of incident won't happen again. I imagine Gaara won't be let out without more stringent supervision. But if we don't do anything, we will be accepting the reality that Gaara's power makes him exempt from consequence, just as his father has."

"As repulsive as that is, it may be acceptable," Koharu said. "Gaara is powerful. Properly directed, that power could be a great boon to the Hidden Leaf."

At that, Obito couldn't suppress a snort. The room turned to him, and he stared them down with a dubious look.

"Do you have something to contribute, Obito?" Minato asked calmly, and Obito inclined his head.

"With your permission, sensei."

"Speak as you will. You just returned from Waves, after all." Minato leaned forward. "Perhaps you'll have an insight that we won't, given our distance."

"Or an unnecessary attachment…" Koharu muttered. Obito ignored her. They'd never been on good terms: him cleaning up ROOT had seen to that.

"Gaara is obviously an incredibly capable shinobi," he said, keeping his tone matter of fact. "He leveled a chunk of a city by himself, killed thousands and injured tens of thousands more. His capabilities can't be questioned." He spread his hands, shaking his head. "But this will mark, what, the fourth time he's pursued Konoha's ninja out of some personal grudge? Three times alone during that Chunin Exam, including wiping out every other team from the Leaf but mine and Gai's, and now again in Waves. Putting aside his complete lack of morals, it's ridiculous to think that his father can actually control him. He will keep killing until he kills one of our own; it's only luck that's kept it from happening already."

"I agree," Shikaku said with a nod. How cold was he really, Obito wondered. The man had a perfect face for a shinobi, impassive and serious, but his son had almost been buried alive by Gaara. "The alliance can't stand as it is, Lord Hokage. There needs to be a demand for change."

Obito looked around the room and realized that he had inadvertently broken a deadlock with his arrival. Koharu and Homura had been against Shikaku and the Sandaime, and Minato had been trapped between them, though obviously inclined towards action. His sensei looked from person to person in the room with a serious gaze, finally settling on Obito.

"I don't trust him," he eventually said. His voice was heavy and brooked no disagreement. "I don't trust the Kazekage, and I trust his son even less. In my eyes, this has only proved that my worst expectations from the Chunin Exam were optimistic." His gaze shifted. "Konoha is stronger than ever: would you agree with that, Koharu?"

"I would, Lord Hokage," Koharu said with some pride, as if it was her own achievement. Obito kept the scowl off his face.

"It would be ideal to keep the Hidden Sand as an ally," Minato continued, tapping a finger on his desk as he went. "It's been productive until recently, and the problem has solely been Gaara of the Desert." Tap, tap. "I think, even if it would be fruitless, it would be best to make an ultimatum. It's as you said, Lord Sandaime. A severe reaction will be, in this case, our only reasonable response."

"What do you propose, Lord Hokage?" Homura asked, and Minato frowned.

"I would prefer to punish the Kazekage," he muttered, "but parents aren't put on trial for their children's murders. And we have no proof Gaara was present in Waves to act against the country, though it is obvious." He sighed. "I believe the most reasonable request would be to request on Waves' behalf the delivery of Gaara of the Desert to the country, so that he can be tried and judged for his mass murder. However, we should make the suggestion that Gaara be delivered… without the Ichibi."

"Sent as a corpse then," Koharu said, and Minato closed his eyes.

"Yes. And as you said, Homura, it would take them years to have another Jinchuriki with the same skills, but…" He paused. "Well, perhaps we could also offer assistance with that. Gaara's seal was faulty, according to Kushina. She and I could do better work."

"That could be a worthy compromise," the Sandaime said from around his pipe. "They would lose a Jinchuriki, yes, but a less volatile one may be worth that sacrifice."

"I doubt Sand would allow a foreign shinobi to create the seal for them," Shikaku pointed out. "It would be too much leverage for the Leaf."

"Kushina could just provide instructions, or training," Obito suggested. "It wouldn't be quite as bad if the seal were created by Sand's own, and it would still be a gesture of trust on our part."

"True," Minato said. "I'd have to ask her. It's her clan's sealwork, after all." He stood up, and everyone else in the room did as well. "I'll draft a letter. Thank you for your time, everyone. I appreciate it, as ever."

"And if they refuse?" Homura said, smoothing down his robe. "To give up the boy, or to cooperate with Lady Uzumaki?"

"Then we will break the alliance," Minato said simply. "Better to reduce our military strength than to be seen as enablers of terrorists."

Homura nodded, apparently pleased at Minato's decisive words, and turned to leave along with the others in the room. Obito stayed at the desk's side and watched them leave before turning to his sensei.

"I walked in at an interesting time," he said. Minato laughed.

"Unfortunately," he confirmed. "Well, it's tomorrow that'll be interesting, probably. I'll send a messenger bird then. We'll see if that unleashes hell or not."

"Do you think they'll give Gaara up?" Obito asked. His sensei shook his head.

"No. But we have to at least give them the option. Gaara's reputation can work for them now too." Minato made a disgusted face. "When a ninja is that strong and that monstrous, there will be plenty of people willing to pay for Sand's service that weren't before. I don't think it was intended, but Fukami City was a hell of an advertisement for the underworld on Suna's behalf. That whole village is going nowhere good, and fast."

"Hadn't thought of that," Obito admitted.

"It's not your job to," Minato said. He started organizing his desk, pulling to the fore a series of forms. Obito glanced at them: new chunin assignments. Weird. The Hokage didn't usually handle that sort of thing. Why was Minato micromanaging something like that?

"I'm glad you're here actually," Minato continued. "I may have a mission for you later today."

"That quick?" Obito asked. "I just got back."

"Well, I didn't assign you the last one. You picked that on your own," Minato said with a little laugh. "Right now, this one is only a rumor. But if I get confirmation, I'll be sending you."

"What is it?"

"A defection," Minato said, and then raised his hand when Obito pressed forward, eyes wide. "No, not them, sorry. It is a familiar face for you though. Do you remember Katasuke Touno?"

"The rogue who went to Cloud? Yeah, I was just thinking about him," Obito said, and Minato gave him an impressed look. "His prosthetics would have come in handy for a lot of people in Waves."

"Good. Hopefully he'll remember you too," Minato said with satisfaction. "It's not confirmed, but I got a report he was making a run for it. They weren't sure why or when, but if it's the case…"

"I'll pick him up, wherever he is," Obito confirmed, wondering what could have gotten Katasuke to change his mind, if that had indeed happened. Maybe what he'd said about wanting to provide his work to every nation had bloomed in his heart. That wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, especially right now.

Obito paused. "Though maybe it would be better if you didn't hear anything before like, six o'clock…"

"Oh?" Minato asked, maybe a little slyly for Obito's comfort. "I haven't heard you say something like that in a while, Obito." He grinned. "Your schedule is usually so free."

Obito looked at his teacher suspiciously, wondering what he knew or what he suspected.

"I've got a date," he said, and Minato's grin just got bigger.

"Really?" he asked, propping his head up on his hands. "I wonder who with…"

"Oh c'mon," Obito groaned. "Don't do this to me."

"I haven't seen my son in a year," Minato said, somehow making what could have been a fatal blow playful instead. "This is the least you can give me."

"Fine! It's with Rin!" Obito said, throwing his hands up. "Next you're gonna say 'wow, only took sixteen years,' right?"

"How rude," Minato said stiffly. "I was going to say twenty. You were giving her eyes before you even graduated."

"Yeah, well, I'm slow," Obito said, feeling his face go red. "Real slow."

"You should give yourself more credit than that," Minato said. "It's hard to break out of the status quo, Obito." He said it with a jovial bitterness; Obito got the feeling he was talking about more than just his student's relationships. "I'm glad you finally made a move." He gave Obito a kind smile. "She's probably been waiting for a long time. I'm sure she didn't want to make you uncomfortable herself. There's a reason neither of you have ever been in a lasting relationship, I think. How long did the last one you tried go? Two weeks?"

Obito found it both extremely alarming and very telling that despite having an eidetic memory for anything he'd seen, he couldn't remember the name of the last woman he'd tried to date well over three years ago. He rubbed the back of his head. "Something like that, I think."

"Yeah," Minato laughed. "Pretty hopeless, I guess. But you guys have been spending more and more time together: Kushina and I have been waiting for something like this." He winked. "I hope the date goes well."

"Please, don't be my teacher in this," Obito groaned. "Anything else, but not this."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Minato said. "I'm gonna let you figure this one out by yourself. It'll be a lot funnier that way."

"Well, I'm glad I'll have plenty of people to laugh at me…" Obito said. "That's a relief."

"We won't be laughing at you, Obito. We're happy for you. The both of you. We really, sincerely hope it'll go well." Minato shrugged. "Just don't put much on it. Don't think of this that has been building for this long, or you'll drive yourself crazy. Just think of it as something that started when you started going on dates a couple months ago, and you'll be fine."

"I thought you said you were gonna let me figure this out myself," Obito said suspiciously, and Minato laughed him off.

"One free lesson for the road," he said, and then his face grew a little harder. "There's one other thing I thought you should know, though I'm not sure if I should tell you now. I didn't mention it in the meeting."

Obito shifted. This was something that was obviously more serious. "Why not?"

"Cause it might stress you out," Minato said frankly. "And I didn't want to lay any of that on you today."

"I'm not a baby," Obito said dryly. "I can compartmentalize, you know."

"I know," Minato chuckled. "Sorry. In that case: my mark on Sakura is gone."

Obito narrowed his eyes, shoving down an immediate, way too strong reaction and breathing out. "I didn't know Hiraishin marks could be destroyed," he said instead.

"They can be, but it's unusual," Minato said. "It happened late last night. I didn't even notice until this morning; there are so many out there nowadays that even I lose track sometimes."

"Do you think she's in danger? Or dead?" Obito said, already running through the scenarios in his head. If Sakura's entire body had been obliterated, that could get rid of the seal, surely. But the last time she'd been seen by Ino, Shikamaru, and Hinata, she'd been being carried back to Rain by Haku of the Akatsuki. The jump from that situation to total destruction in the given time frame was pretty severe, no matter how many grotesque situations his mind cooked up.

"Not necessarily," Minato said. "There are ways to erase my jutsu formula, and I'm sure they're in possession of Rain. Though… most of them aren't pretty. Considering her injured condition, I'd be shocked if she were sent out on a mission already, and there's been no reports of Rain being attacked. That makes me assume that it was discovered and removed from her body."

"Or she was forced to reveal it," Obito mused, remembering what Ino had said about Sakura's enthusiasm. "Maybe as a final step towards the Akatsuki. Or, if she was smart, as proof of her commitment."

"That's also possible," Minato acknowledged. "For now, I don't think we should act on it. I'm going to ask Orochimaru for an update, and we'll know where to go based on that."

"Do you trust him to give an accurate report?" Obito asked the same question he'd asked about this very subject every single time it had come up since the mission had started.

"I trust him enough," Minato said, which was another variant on the same answer he'd given every time. "It will be better than nothing."

"Yeah." Obito once again wondered what was stopping him from just teleporting straight to Rain, but if his faith in Sakura wasn't misplaced and she'd revealed the seal on purpose, he'd only be undermining her. The Hiraishin's mark wasn't something that was visible all the time: Minato had hidden it on Sakura's back, disguised as her own chakra. Unless she was subject to an examination with the rigor of an autopsy or channeled chakra to the spot purposefully, it would be essentially invisible.

But could it hide from the Rinnegan? The fact that it had lasted a year indicated a yes, but Obito couldn't be sure.

"You should get out of here," Minato said with a grin. "It's my bad for stressing you out before your date. Go get some nice clothes or something: I'll find you if there's an urgent update, alright?"

"Alright." Obito turned to leave and stopped at the door. "Thanks, sensei."

"Don't mention it," Minato said. "Actually, literally, don't mention it. That advice earlier in particular. Kushina and I have a bet, she won't like it if she finds out I cheated."

Obito laughed and left, shutting the door behind him. Standing guard beside the door, Genma looked him over. Obito was sure he was smirking under the mask.

"Ah c'mon," Obito groused. "Is there anyone who's not gonna be giving me that face?"

"You made this bed, Obito," Genma laughed. "Now you get to enjoy it."

It was the last thing Obito heard as he swirled away with a grimace. He popped out into the Kamui, looked around, and sighed. For a second, he was sure he was going to strike out, punch the ground, hurl a fireball, but he breathed in and washed away his anxiety on the exhale.

Sakura was smart. His team was smart. They would all be fine. He'd put his faith in them for a reason. For now, he'd managed to spend an hour of his day: now he just needed to find something to do for the rest of it.

"Man," Obito said to nothing. "I've gotta get some hobbies."

###

Obito was not able to figure out a hobby for himself in the eight hours he had remaining before six o'clock, so he did errands and chores instead. Cleaned his entire apartment, twice. Got groceries, realizing he'd not actually had a stocked fridge in months, which was easily the most depressing realization of the day. Bought a vacuum cleaner, which somehow he didn't own. That must have been a secret from everyone, he thought, because there was no way his sensei would have let him get away with it all this time. Minato hated dirty floors so much he'd worked with Kushina to set up a fuinjutsu grid in his own home that sealed away any messes before they could hit the floor.

Somehow, he made it to five-thirty, and prepared to leave. He tried to do it deliberately, but that just turned into a slow nervous scramble instead of a fast one. Obito somehow pulled together a casual outfit that he thought looked alright on him, and then spent several minutes staring at himself in the mirror.

"You've already done this," he said, frustrated. "Why're you freaking out?"

Ignorance had been bliss. He left with his stomach in knots, hoping that the walk to Rin's home would loosen him up. It didn't.

Rin lived in a small home on Konoha's western side: like Obito, both her parents had died when she was young. Unlike him, she hadn't had any siblings or extended family. Her mother had been a ninja and her father a tradesmen, but he'd passed away from cancer after her mother had died in the Second War, leaving her alone. She'd stayed in that family home since then, so far as Obito knew; her parent's inheritance had been enough to pay for it, and she had been watched over by the social services within the village with particular care since she was a promising student in the Academy. Maybe it was that independence that had made her so strong and driven, Obito thought. With no one else to guide her, Rin hadn't had a choice to become anyone but herself.

It was a nice neighborhood, Obito thought when he arrived. Lots of family homes packed together, some on top of the other, but all traditionally designed and well maintained. Rin could probably afford a larger place, but he could understand staying in such a comfortable place. He picked out Rin's home, took note of the purple scrolls draped down the street-facing wall as an interesting decoration, walked up the three stairs leading to her front door, and knocked twice.

"Ah, coming!" He heard her call from within, and then the sound of feet pounding down the stairs from the second floor. She was moving fast, Obito noticed, and on its own a smile spread across his face. At least she wasn't running away.

That meant that when Rin opened her door, Obito was able to greet her with a natural looking grin. "Hey," he said. "Ready to go?"

Rin gave her a smile of her own. "All set," she said, stepping out onto the steps. Obito couldn't help but track her out of the corner of his eye as she closed the door behind her. Rin had a large wardrobe, usually wearing something different every day, but he'd never seen this sleeveless green blouse before, or the tan jacket she was wearing over it.

Obito did his best not to stare. She looked really good. Color coordinated. How the heck did you learn that? They walked down the steps together, Rin's hands coming together behind her back as she bent forward to get a look at his face.

"You look good," she said with a smile, and Obito returned it with some strain.

"You too," he said. "It's over in the north, right?"

"Yeah, it's a great place," Rin said. They started off, wandering down the street, and Obito noticed an older couple on a balcony across the street watching and obviously gossiping. "You look a little worried. Did something happen?"

He hadn't been thinking about it at all, but it was a good excuse. "I saw sensei earlier in the day," Obito said. "He let me know something about Sakura, that's all."

"Nothing bad, I hope?" Rin said, and Obito shook his head.

"We don't know yet. It's nothing to worry about for now, I think. I'm just being an idiot."

"It's your team," Rin said with a smile. "It's your responsibility to worry."

"Ha!" Obito had to laugh at such a succinct summary. "Can't disagree with that."

They made small talk as they went, talking about their day, the mission to Waves, the weather, and the village's transition into spring. It kept them busy until they reached the restaurant, which Obito was very thankful for. There wasn't a reservation; the sushi place was named North By The Sea, and had a series of traditional seating areas with small wooden tables separated by ornamental shojis. It was cute, and more importantly for Obito it meant they had a small area to themselves to talk.

The menu was expansive, and Obito didn't have a great knowledge of sushi. He asked Rin what her favorite was.

"Oh, the Explosive Kunai," she said with a laugh. "It's spicy, but the eel is great. If you don't like it, we can always order something else."

"I'm sure I will," Obito said. When their orders were put in and they were left on their own, they both sat still for just a little longer than they usually would. Rin had taken off her jacket and placed it on the seat next to her, leaving her shoulders exposed. Obito was trying not to obviously notice it.

"You're doing your panic face," Rin said playfully. "Are we gonna get attacked or something?"

"I don't think so," Obito said, trying to shake it off. "Everyone I've talked to today said for me to not treat this like a big deal." He laughed. "But that kinda implied the opposite, don't you think?"

"Obito," Rin said, leaning forward. Obito tried to focus on her face. "It's not a big deal. It's just a date." She grinned." We've been on them before."

"Apparently," Obito sighed. "I'm sorry about that. I…"

"It's okay," Rin said sincerely. He must have looked doubtful, because she continued. "Really, it is. I wasn't offended or anything. I just thought it was funny."

Rin's gaze was painfully honest. "You've really pulled yourself together this last year, Obito. It's okay if you miss little things like that."

"Was I that much of a mess before?" Obito said with a laugh, and Rin shrugged.

"Not in a way that was obvious," she said. "It's something that only became obvious when it wasn't missing anymore, you know?" She leaned back. "I definitely noticed, almost right away. I'm sure others have too. You shouldn't be down on yourself about it."

"I bought a vacuum today," Obito said, and Rin paused as she was raising her drink. "I looked around; it turned out I didn't own one."

"Maybe you accidentally tossed it into the Kamui?" Rin said with a look that was easily perplexed and amused. "All sorts of stuff ends up in there."

"Maybe, but I think I would have noticed I was missing something," Obito laughed. "It's that kinda thing you talked about, I guess. I never really…"

"Grew up?" Rin suggested, and Obito rolled his eyes.

"C'mon, don't make me sound like a lost cause now," he said playfully, before actually considering it. "But yeah, maybe. We've talked about this before, I think. I didn't think I would grow up, after I found out what the Mangekyo would do to me, so I kinda stopped trying. Bad habit, I guess."

"Understandable though," Rin said. "I can't blame you for that either. I remember how scared we were. All of us." She nursed her drink while Obito watched her, wondering where the conversation was going. "It all comes back to Kakashi, huh?"

"Yeah," Obito admitted. "I guess he did tell us to look after each other. That wasn't something we could put aside. I'm sorry I took it all on myself for so long."

"That was your way of doing it," Rin said simply. "I didn't mind." She put her drink down. "It's funny. We only knew him for a couple years, but he's still weighing on both of us. Do you think it's always going to be like that?"

"I think he made us us," Obito said, wondering how they had gone so long feeling this without saying it explicitly. It had been too painful before, but now, he could sense that both he and Rin had stepped over an invisible threshold; they could say this now without feeling a pain that would close their throats up.

"Yeah, I think you're right," Rin said. She laughed. "Oh, that's a terrible thought."

"What?" Obito asked, and Rin grinned.

"I had such a crush on him," she said, and Obito cocked his head, playing along. "But he was such a stick in the mud. He didn't even want to come back for me!" She giggled, the most girlish Obito had heard her sound in years. "You're a much better choice for a crush, Obito."

"Eh?" Obito asked, not even intending to fish for a response, but Rin took the non-existent bait anyway.

"You're sweet," Rin said simply. "And reliable. I know we've both tried to see other people, but… there's a reason I waited for you to get it together, you know. I couldn't think of anyone better."

As Obito went red, completely unable to formulate a response, their food arrived and miraculously saved him from making an absolute fool of himself.

Two waiters came, both carrying plates covered in obviously professional rolls, along with dipping sauces. Four plates in total, two of which were the Explosive Kunai Rin had recommended, which was a line of rolls blackened by squid ink ("Really salty, but good," Rin had said) with mock jutsu formula covering the top of it in a thick orange sauce. They slid the plates onto the table with a small clatter, and one departed while the other stayed behind.

"Anything else?" he asked, and Obito stirred, the voice sounding vaguely familiar. It wasn't the same waiter who'd led them to their seats though, so he wasn't sure why. He and Rin looked the food over, and then he glanced up at her, blushing.

"No, that should be everything," he said, starting to turn towards the waiter. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," the man said, sliding down to sit at Rin's side, right on top of her jacket. He had a square black pouch on his hip. "It looks delicious."

Obito stared as the world stuttered to a stop. Rin started to turn towards the waiter, a baffled look on her face. Then, she froze too, the both of them realizing what had happened at almost the same time.

The man who'd just seated himself was Itachi Uchiha.

He was dressed in the same clothes as the rest of the staff, had his hair tied back in a sensible ponytail, and had a bit of stubble that roughened up his face. Obito wasn't sure if the facial hair was real or not. His Sharingan immediately activated and revealed that it wasn't. Itachi's whole face had been subtly altered just enough that the glances Obito had taken at him hadn't immediately alerted him; it was the result of practical makeup instead of a henge, which he or Rin would have instantly noticed.

He had snuck up on them completely, and now he was less than a foot from Rin. His hands were in his pockets, Obito saw. If he struck out with a blade, Rin might be dead before either of them could react. Itachi had always been ridiculously, unfairly fast. Fast enough to strike Obito mid-Kamui, fast enough to kill Shisui, renowned for his Shunshin, even fast enough to react to the Yondaime.

Obito's blood began to boil. This was the first time he'd seen Itachi face to face since that night. It took every ounce of his considerable will to not leap over the table and rip the man's head off with his bare hands.

"Itachi," he said. Rin wasn't moving, absolutely aware of the danger she was in. Even her strength wouldn't be much use at this range; she still needed to move to apply it, and Itachi would have time to react. Obito's lips curled back in an animalistic snarl. "Don't."

"Don't do anything unusual," Itachi said with a smile. "I'm just an old friend taking his fifteen minute break to visit with you before I go back to work, alright?" He removed one hand to scratch at his fake stubble. "Plus, if you touch me a lot of people in this restaurant would explode, which I'd feel really bad about."

Obito couldn't tell if he was lying or not, but the scenario was too easy for him to accept. If Itachi had been disguised as a waiter and convinced the staff he was one of them, it would have been trivial for him to rig the building, or just individual tables. He couldn't risk it, not unless the murderer made the first move.

"Why are you here?" Rin asked, still as a statue, and Itachi glanced over at her with the same easy smile.

"I came to speak with Sasuke," he said, like that wasn't obviously insane. "Do you know where he is? There's something I need to talk to him about."

"What?" Obito said, looking over at Rin. She saw her flinch away from the rage in his eyes, and tried to tamp down his emotions.

"I checked with my mother first, of course," Itachi continued. He picked up a pair of chopsticks and clicked them experimentally together with his left hand. Obito watched him, glaring at the two missing fingers there: his stomach curdled, and he tasted phantom blood. "Man, I'm glad I can still use these. I always meant to thank you for not taking something more important, Obito," he said with a sincere grin.

He could Kamui his head off right here, right now, Obito thought. But if Itachi could react to the Yondaime, he could definitely react in time to avoid Obito's jutsu. He had to wait. If he made the wrong decision, Rin could die.

"Anyway, she wouldn't tell me where he was. I have to say, it was pretty rude." Itachi slowly grabbed up a piece of sushi and popped it in his mouth, chewing deliberately and swallowing. "Haven't I proved by this point that if I wanted to kill him, he'd be dead? What reason would she have to keep him from me?"

"She doesn't trust a mass murderer," Obito said, gritting his teeth. This had to be some sort of game on Itachi's part, but he couldn't understand what the purpose could be. "What do you need to tell Sasuke?"

"That's for him to hear," Itachi said. He looked back and forth between Obito and Rin. "I meant to ask, is this a date? How long has that been going on?"

He was acting strange, Obito thought, finally able to control his searing anger. Intentionally, to throw them off, or was something wrong with him? He seemed healthy, normal, even under the Sharingan. His eyes were clear and focused, with no sign of blindness or uncertainty. Itachi must have been taking good care of them.

"There's no way you're getting close to Sasuke again," he said. "I won't allow it."

Itachi frowned. "I only told him what he wanted to hear," he said. "He asked me for the truth. What kind of brother would I be if I'd lied to him?" He shifted. "I'm not like my mother."

"Is Mikoto still alive?" Rin asked, and Itachi shrugged.

"She seems to have been well behaved. I didn't see a reason to kill her. I suppose she learned her lesson when father died," he said, and Obito sagged in relief. "Now, seriously, where is Sasuke?" He grinned. "You wouldn't be a very good sensei if you didn't know, Obito. I know you're better than that."

Obito narrowed his eyes. "Itachi, Sasuke isn't here."

"Well, obviously," Itachi said patiently.

"He isn't here in the village. He isn't even a member of the Hidden Leaf anymore," Obito continued, watching his cousin carefully, looking for any sign of recognition. "He defected to the Nation of Rain over a year ago, along with the rest of my team."

Itachi's smile didn't change. He stared right through Obito, his Sharingan flat, like it had been painted on.

"Huh," he said. "All the way to Rain?" His face twitched. "That must have been my fault. I guess this was a waste of a trip then. I'll have to go meet him there."

He leaned back, and Obito shook his head, not sure of what to say. Rin looked just as confused. Team Seven's defection wasn't a secret. Rain finally acquiring an Uchiha had been a common concern among the villages. Itachi had a vested interest in his brother. How could he not know? It didn't matter what kind of rock he lived under as a rogue ninja to avoid detection, he must have heard something. And yet he'd come all this way, even presumably broken into the Uchiha Compound and spoken with Mikoto, without finding that out? Without even hearing it on the street? It didn't make any sense. It was completely impossible for that to be the case for the Itachi Uchiha Obito knew.

"Itachi," he said, marveling at how calm his voice was. "How the hell could you not know? You said you were working for Rain."

Itachi didn't answer, his eyes dead in his face. He shifted, as if about to stand up, and Obito clenched the hand he'd left on the table into a fist. His chakra was starting to explode out of his control: a glass on the table cracked. Mikoto's self-righteous words from long ago were echoing in his head.

'I concluded long ago that there were additional motivations that made your brother suspect.'

"Sasuke told me everything you said to him," he bit out, his voice sharp enough to cut. "He told me that you killed Shisui just because he was in the way, because he tried to stop you with the Kotoamatsukami. That you were trying to prevent the coup. I guess you succeeded." His knuckles were going white. "But Sasuke was too hurt to ask questions. I'm not. If that was really why you did it, why did you take one of his eyes? If you were going to take one, why not both? You left me one. Was that so I wouldn't go completely blind? If you were doing it for Konoha, why did you attack the Hokage? Why do what you did to Kushina? None of it lines up."

He lowered his head, feeling his face twitch in anger. "What did you need the Kotoamatsukami for?"

Itachi's maimed hand slowly sunk down below the table, and Obito tensed, ready for whatever was coming. There was a click, and Itachi removed something from the pouch at his hip. Rin saw whatever it was first, and blinked.

With a gentleness utterly at odds with what he had done and what he was capable of, Itachi set down a small capsule on the table, delicately clutching it in his three fingers. It was about four inches tall and two wide, with a hermetically sealed lid, and was filled with a viscous yellow liquid that Obito couldn't begin to recognize.

He was too focused on the eye floating in the liquid.

It was a Sharingan, a wheel with four blades, but the red pigmentation of the eye had faded to a dull pink, and it was riven with cataracts and burst veins. It was, without a doubt, Shisui's left eye. Obito was frozen, his heart skipping a beat.

'Don't hesitate.'

"I needed it," Itachi said, his voice clear but lacking in conviction. Obito looked up.

"You've used it," he sneered. "What on? How?"

"I've used it many times," Itachi said, ignoring the actual question. "Any more, and it would probably be destroyed. That's why I'm returning it now."

It didn't make sense. There was no way Itachi had come here to do this in the first place. If he somehow didn't know where Sasuke was, did he understand what he was doing now? Obito closed his eyes, took a deep breath, tried to ignore his brother's floating eye, how abused it had obviously been.

"Itachi, you understand this is insane, right?" he said. Itachi didn't stir. "Something must be wrong with you. I'm your enemy. It doesn't matter why you did it: after what you did, I always will be. If that really is Shisui's eye, it will only make me stronger."

Itachi slowly stood up, stepping to the side of the table. "It will, Obito," he said, looking down on both of them. "The Yondaime is doing his best, but his best isn't enough. Konoha needs a stronger leader." His eyes regained some life, no longer painted on. "I'm sorry for upsetting you. I'm going to go find Sasuke now. If he shares what I tell him with you at some point, that will be his decision."

He turned to leave, and then paused. "Good on the both of you, by the way," he said, and Obito was sure Rin almost gagged. "I'm glad you finally figured it out. Give me a ten minute head start, would you?"

Itachi casually walked out of the restaurant, and Obito and Rin watched him go. Despite his faux carelessness, Obito could tell Itachi's senses were stretched to their limit. He felt like he was being watched, as if Itachi had eyes in the back of his head. If he did a thing, people would certainly die.

It was only when Itachi left through the same door that they'd come in that the feeling faded.

"Do you think he's bluffing?" Rin asked once he was clear of the door. Obito shook his head.

"I have no idea," he said. "I don't want to risk it." He stared at his brother's eye. "Something was wrong with him."

"I thought so too," Rin said, blowing out a shaky breath, and Obito nodded. "But I'm not sure what. He wasn't on anything, not that I could detect. His pupils were normal, skin tone, breathing… Everything was normal physically. No signs of either an altered state or withdrawal." Obito started: he hadn't even considered the possibility, but it made sense Rin would have checked that off first. She was a medical ninja after all. She continued, and he realized this was how she was calming herself down. "Some sort of early-onset dementia? I can't imagine the Uchiha Clan have experienced anything like that in their past."

"No," Obito said. His gaze was fixed on Shisui's eye, hypnotized by it, though not in the way it was actually capable of. "Nothing like that. But he could be the first."

"A genjutsu, then?" Rin asked. Obito's gaze didn't shift from the container as he spoke.

"Impossible," he said, and Rin nodded with a grim look. "Anything like that won't work against him." He grimaced. "And I couldn't imagine a reason for him to place one on himself."

"Maybe you're too sane to think of one," Rin said with an uncertain grin. Obito tried to laugh and failed.

"... how could he not know about Sasuke?" he said as the world gradually narrowed down to the Sharingan gently bobbing in the container. "It's impossible. And what the hell is this? A trap? There must be something… something we missed. Some sort of condition, a disorder, like you said. It doesn't make sense otherwise."

"We should go to sensei as soon as the time's up," Rin said, looking at their sushi. "Do you think… the sushi is rigged?"

"He ate some," Obito said, feeling something that could eventually be a laugh in his chest at the look on Rin's face.

"Yeah," Rin said with a dubious expression. "I guess that's true."

As Rin prodded at the sushi in front of them and Obito pondered his luck at his first date being ruined in such a spectacular fashion, Shisui's eye drew him back into the past. His instincts were screaming at him, telling him he'd refused to see something. Long ago, he'd missed something important, and only now was that obvious truth revealed to him, demanding that he go back and endure it all again.

For the first time in forever, Obito did his best to remember everything that had happened the night of the Massacre.